Improvement in reed-organs



Reed-Organs.

MATTHEWS.

Patented Dec. 15, 1874.

7441/291 AW/ff Y IPN/e fijar.'

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MASON J. MATTHEWS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MASON & HAMLIN ORGAN COMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REED-ORGANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,850, dated December 15,1874; application tiled June 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAsoN J. MATTHEWS, of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Reed-Organs, of which the following is a specilication:

My invention relates to novel piano-forte or percussion and check action, together with simple and comparatively inexpensive means for the production of sounds resembling; those elicited from the harp, and is intended to be used mainly as an attachment to reed instruments. It is made up of such parts, and in such form as to admit of easy application to reedorgans, Without materiallyT interfering with their general construction. lt provides for the economizin g and also for the utilizing of space. It is provided with the conditions of unusual simplicity, compactness, promptness of action, and reliability.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out my invention.

The accompanying drawii'igs form part of this specification.

Figure l is a sectional elevation, showing the main parts of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a front view ci' the resonance-box. Fig. 3 is an elevation, showing distinctly the stop-action.

The members ot' action connected with the several keys being duplicates of each other, only the parts forming the complete action ot' one key are fully described. The keys O, keyirame D, main wind-chest D1, valve action Dz, and the bellows action below the main wind-chest, are all of ordinary construction, and need no description. Attached to the back of the key-frame D is a rail, E. On the top of this rail E is a metal platform, F, which reaches over the fulcrum-pin rail c of the keys, and supports, toward its front edge, a rail, G. This rail G has grooves out across it, in which are mounted the sub-levers H. Lengthwise of this rail-G is cut a saw-kert, in which is inserted a wire. ing also provided with a saw-korf, rests down on the wire, and thus is held in the position required. The front end of the sub-lever H is thin, and is provided with a slit, so that it Will pass easily between the regulating-nuts The sub-lever H bef.. On the back end of this sub-lever H is mounted the jack J. The upper end of this jack J engages with the lip 7' in the hammerbutt K. The regulators t', mounted in the rail I, operate on the under side of the sub` lever H, for the purpose of raising or lowering thejack J, and determining its exact position in relation to the lip j. This provides against the necessity of resorting to the usual method of cutting or tiling the parts for adjustment. In ordinary cases this means of regulation would be unavailable. lt is valuable. for the purpose specified, only in combination with the sub-lever H. The regulator j, in the jack J, acts on the front or beveled face of the hammer-rail L. By this is obtained the lateral adjustment of the jack J in relation to the lip j. The check, consisting of the parts marked Q. lt r, is simple in construction. Vhen the action is in its normal condition, the wire Q nearly touches the face of the check-head r. On the depression of the key O the check-head r and the wire Q rises and separates at the same time. On the escapement of the jack J from under the lip j, the hammer l? falls in advance of the rising otl the key O, and causes the checkwire Q, to come in contact with the checkhead 1', thus preventing the rebound ofthe hammer l. Slightly in advance of the key G, regaining its normal position, the check-head r is released from the check-wire Q, leaving all the parts in condition for a repetition of the blow. The main rail E, the regulator-rail l, and the hammer-rail L, each supporting parts ot the action, are held in their proper position by the pieces 0f wood marked X, one at each end. Thus, with the exception ot' the wire and nuts f mounted in the key O, all the parts of the action already described are connected together in compact form, and can be regulated and adjusted independently of the instrument to which the at tachment is to be made. The provisions ol' this arrangement are important, inasmuch as they favorably aftect the question ot` expense in the manufacture.

To the back of the main case of the instrument is attached a resonance-box, WV. This box adds materially to the body and quality of the tone. The sound-board U is graduated in thickness on the principle adopted in the piano-forte, and is mounted as follows: At each end of the resonance-box IV, inside, a block, w, is fastened. These blocks 1U are not both in the same plane, but are so placed that when the sound-board U is fastened to them it shall be slightly twisted. On the soundboard U is mounted a metal casting, T. In this are mounted the tongues T. The metal casting T is attached to the sound-board U as follows: The pieces of wood, marked t, half an inch, more or less, wide, are placed one at each end. Another piece of wood, t', is placed under the lower side only of the plate. There are no bearings between the feet t on the upper side of the plate T, and only one bearing between them on the lower side. The screws binding the plate T upon these feet pass into the sound-board U. The number and arrangement ofthe screws used in mounting the board are shown in Fig. 2. The sound-board U is mounted so as to lean forward at the top. This is for the purpose of bringing the tongues T near to the hammers P that strike them. These hammers P are so arranged that they shall have, when in motion, sufficient gravity to insure their falling to their bed, or hammerdrop S ii'idependently of the momentum given them by the blow upon the tongues T.

Coupling and uneoupling of the action is effected by means of the frame M, which works on pivots in the pieces marked O. This frame M is sprung upward, in the position shown in dotted lines, by an ordinarytwist-spring, which is fastened, one end in the back rail m of the frame )I and the other end in the pivot-stud O, so that the tension of the spring is felt on drawing' the stop x instead of on being pushed in, and thus is uniform with the other stops. The members of action between and connected with the frame M and the stop-draw a: are the lever all, the rod x2, the bracket-lever w3, and the forked tracker x4, all clearly shown in Fig. 3. These pieces O are fastened in the pieces N, which, in turn, are fastened in and are supported by the pieces X. Then the stop x is drawn the frame M is in the position shown in plain lilies in Figs. l and 2, and admits of the required movement of the hammer-stem P without contact between it and the rail m, and m. IVhen the stop is in the f ame M is in the position shown in dotted lines. The front rail m raises the hammer P and releases the lip j from the jack J, while the back rail m presses on the back of the stems or hammer-shanks P', and insures that neither by the movement of the stop nor by any contact between the jack J and the lip j shall the hammers P be forced against the tongues T'.

So far this description has been confined mainly to what I consider the best method of carrying out my invention. Other means and materials might be used in working out the details, as, for instance, coupling and uneouplin g might be effected by a provision for pressing the jacks J forward, so as to release them from the lip j. This plan would involve considerable friction.

To raise the hammers P wit-hout the rail m, or its equivalent, would be impracticable, because, on drawing the stop the hammers I would all strike the tongues Tl. Besides, in this case, it would be needful that much expensive care should be taken to prevent the possibility of any collision between the jack J and the lip j,- whereas by my arrangement, slight contact between these parts would be of no consequence, as it would be impossible to cause the hammers to strike the tongues.

The whole attachment, including the action, resonance-box, and the other parts, is constructed with a view to compactness, and so that there shall be no room taken up by it that is usually occupied by other attachments, including the vox humana or fan tremolo.

A horizontal action, or an ordinary upright piano-action or sub-action, below the keys, would interfere considerably with many important features commonly used in reed-organs. Besides, a passably successful application of these actions would render necessary serious changes on approved principles of construction in these instruments.

The platform F might be of wood, but this would occupy more room than metal; besides it would be liable to warp and cause derangement.

I claim as my inventionl. The sub-levers H, when mounted above the keys C, and having` a fulcrum in front of the pin-rail c, arranged relatively to the regulating-nuts f, jacks J, rail G, and supported on the platform F, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2.The snbject-matterof the above clause, in combination with a reed-organ, as set forth.

3. The cheek-wires Q and It, arranged relatively to each other, and to the sub-levers H, so that on the depression of the keys C, and the consequent elevation of the sub-levers H at the end bearin g the jack J, the check-wire Q, will come in contact with the outer face of the cheek-head r, as herein set forth.

et. The subject-matter of the above clause, in combination with the. keys C of a reed-organ, as set forth.

5. The adjusting-rail I, with the supplementary regulators fi, mounted therein, in connection and combination with the sub-levers H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The coupling-frame marked M m m', with the pieces N O supporting it, as and for the purpose specified.

7. The stop action, consisting of the parts marked .fr w1 c2 :v3 @24, for the operation of the frame M, as specified.

S. The hammer-rail L, regulator-rail I, main rail E, together with the parts supported by each, all connected together by the pieces marked X, and constructed substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. The percussion action attached to the back Of the key-frame D, as described.

10. The resonance-box ett-ached to the back of the case of a reed-Organ, when said resonance-box has 2t sound-board mounted therein, :is herein specified, for the purpose of intensifying musical tones edueed from metal oscilla,- tors or vibrators.

11. The metal plate T, having along its upper edge ai groove, the back of which forms a i'lzit bearing-surface for one side of the reeds, seid reeds being held rigidly in position by means of screws passing through the front of the metal plate T to the metallic strip, which forms a bearing for the other side of the reeds, when constructed and arranged to Operate as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June, 1874, in the presence Oi' two subscribing witnesses.

MASON J. MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

GEO. F. STONE, GEORG F. EMERsON. 

